The facility is designed to check the prevalence rate of drug usage in Maiduguri and the country at large.
The chairman, national drug law enforcement agency (NDLEA), retired Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa, on Wednesday, inaugurated a clinic and drug rehabilitation centre in Maiduguri, Borno.
Marwa said the 30-bed facility would enable clients to undergo detoxification in a safe environment to receive professional medical treatment and care. He said the facility was designed to check the prevalence rate of drug usage in Maiduguri and the country at large.
“Today, I am here to have an examination and assessment of the Borno command but before that it has been a strong advocacy visit to draw attention to the drug scourge that has reached unacceptable heights in Nigeria. And the fight by collective collaboration.
“First was to the governor of the state who has shown total commitment to this war against drug abuse. He has been fighting it and giving us support in the NDLEA for which we appreciate,” he said.
The NDLEA boss said that he also paid similar visit to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn-Garbai El-Kanemi, who mobilized traditional institutions to fully engage in the war against drug abuse in the state. Marwa added that he had also met with stakeholders including religious leaders, head teachers and officials of the federal neuro psychiatric hospital, Maiduguri.
He commended the hospital management over the donation of some medical beds to the rehabilitation facility, adding that it would help in the drug demand reduction activities. Earlier, Prof Ibrahim Wakawa, the medical director of the hospital, said the gesture was to augment the NDLEA in the war against drug abuse.
According to Wakawa, the hospital clinical service team will be visiting the rehab facility to provide services and support clients.
